Chichicastenango, Guatemala by Eve Andersson

Chichicastenango (or Chichi, for short) is a colorful market town in the highlands of Guatemala, less than an hour from Lake Atitlán. It is small enough that you can see everything in one day, though there are lovely hotels if you wish to stay longer. Things to see: The market. Make sure that your visit to Chichi includes a Thursday or a Sunday; those are the market days. This is the main reason people come to Chichi. Bargain hard! The cemetary. It's very colorful, with mausoleums the size of small houses. The cemetary is said to be a risky place to walk around, but make sure you at least see it from a distance. The churches. Chichi has two churches on opposite ends of the market, showing a blend between Catholicism and traditional Mayan religion. The museum. The small pottery museum is worth visiting if you aren't going to make it to the bigger museums in Tikal or Guatemala City. The Goods

Church and Cemetary

Woman and Baby

Hotels

The Scene

Comments

Guat. pictures

Thank you for sharing these with us. They're beautiful!

-- Carol Schultz

Beautiful photos!

Thanks so much -- I always love seeing Erez, and now I have also had a peek at his native country -- your photos are so colorful and lively!

-- Nancy Marucci

I think that

These pictures are really vibrant. Exactly what I saw when I was there a year ago, but better documented. Thanks.

-- Mateo Mendoza

beautiful pictures

Your pictures are beautiful and moving.

-- Chuck Han

Mi Linda Guatemala!

Hello. This website is the bomb! I love it all. I was born in the capital of Guatemala.. seeing all this wonderful pictures,gives me joy of knowing how blessed I am to have been born in such a beautiful country. Thank you Mrs. Eve for sharing this unbelievable pictures with the world! "QUE VIVA GUATE" Mi tierra querida nunca te olvido IVY

-- Ivy Perez

retired

I spent Last Sunday night (Nov. 7) in Chichi. If I had known of your web site, I wouldn't have taken so many pictures. Yours are better than mine!! It is truly a great Mayan city.

-- John Ellis

Even though I have never been to Guatemala

Even though I have never been to Guatemala I think it is so nice.I thought it sounded nice whhen my dad told me storys but it looks realy nice thanks for sharing these pictures.

-- Arlene Cazun

Many Thanks!

Many thanks for your vibrant pictures of the living rainbow that is Guatemala. My grandfather was born in Guatemala and I have always been interested in that country and sad for its unhappy history. Your pictures prove that it is a country and people well worth caring about!

Again, many thanks!

Christine Murray

-- Christine Murray

20/02/05

Great to see your pictures, we may never be brave enough to visit, but our daughter Helen visits the market Sunday 20/02 so it is great to see where she is on her travels. Thanks Dariusdave

-- David Templar

I just saw the pictures from Guatemala and THEY WERE AWESOME!!!!!!!

-- Lance Jimenez

I just want said that tanks for showing these beautiful pics because people like you we need to explote our country because Guatemala is a great country buth a lot of people dont know that buth againg thanks for showing the world what we have and let me tell you something i have 7 years here and when i saw that all the pics i almost crye because i miss a lot my country good bye and God bless you. Evelin campos
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-- Evelin Julisa Campos carias

You really captured the magic of Chichi. I just loved this place and hope to return some day. On the trip from Antigua to Chichi we passed many villages and homes where we saw people harvesting the raw material as well as creating the wares that are sold at Chichi. We also saw people transporting their goods personally (with out car, truck, animal) up the sloping hillways to Chichi. While shopping I was overwhelmed by the quality of the craftmanship and awed by the realization that these products were one and the same as the products I saw being produced in the homes I passed during my journey. While I was excited by the great prices offered for the fabulous merchandise, I found myself paying what I thought the product deserved, rather than what was requested, to the astonishment of the sellers. The talent of the artisans is sadly under appreciated in this poor economy and tourists are too happy too pay ridiculously low prices for extraordinary work. :(

We Love Guatemala!

BB

Picture is dark but it is of a young man learning to carve near the lake near Tikal. (Not near Chichi, but it is a young artisan!)
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-- B Brown

I grew up in Chichicastenango and lived in Colonia 10 de Julio throughout my childhood. The pictures were amazing. I wish there were more. I really miss Chichi and the friends that I left behind, in particular my first love, Ada. I haven't been there since the day I left Guatemala in 1982. A dear friend was there a few years ago and she took a lot of great pictures of Chichi. It was the best gift I got. I hope to go back there one day.

JDFigueroa Bronx, New York
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-- JD Figueroa

I visited Chici in 1991 and it was awesome. Looking at your pictures brings back many fond memories

-- larry hermann

My family went to ChiChi as medical missionaries in 1972.( 5 mo. before the major earthquake. Yes it is really beautiful but there is a dark side that tourists never see and we saw it. the pictures bring back the good memeroies. melissa.w keefe

-- melissa keefe

all pictures

Iam from a town in ky,the place where i work employees alot of guatemela people,For whom i have many friends with.I have often wondered what the places look like there,your pictures are beautiful,I liked each and everyone you did a great job ,someday i would love to go to guatemela and see what it is really like in person.THANKS ALOT!

-- PATSY BROWN